Category: Traveller

At only 44 years, Doug Levitt says that he has seen and interacted with humans in almost all of their states. The artist’s father committed suicide when he was 16, and this is one experience that made him want to understand the human condition from a profound perspective. Doug Levitt was a brilliant student. He attended Cornell University and Graduated with honors before joining the London School of Economics on a Full Bright Scholarship and studying international relations.

He started out his career as a foreign correspondent for some of the international media houses. The work is another experience that took him to war-torn countries such as Kosovo and Rwanda. Here, he experienced what it is like to be a homeless refugee, fleeing from war in an environment where disease and insecurity are the order of the day. He has captured more than 20,000 images of these experiences, which he has showcased in various locations around the country.

At this point, he decided to quit his job and work on his project. He started the journey by boarding the Greyhound buses. Anyone that has used the buses as a mode of transport understands that it is mainly used by people from that side of the society that we like to avoid. There are many people that Doug met on his travels. He has sat for hours listening to tales of life on the inside from men who were released from the correctional facilities, even shared a tuna sandwich with a neo-Nazi. What amazed him about the experiences that he has been through in the past decades is the depth of kindness that these people who have experienced the worst of life showed him.

Most of the images that he captured were of people who were struggling to survive. He has also written tons of stories connected to his journey. The news outlets that have featured him include MSNBC, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal among others. He has a web series that also highlights his experiences. Doug Levitt’s dedication to his project and the time it has taken him to achieve what he has is a real inspiration.